Author: Kanayan Tamar

Register Now: How Impunity for Past Crimes of Genocide can Magnify Modern Day Violence Internationally

Kanayan Tamar

REGISTER NOW
HOW IMPUNITY FOR PAST CRIMES OF GENOCIDE CAN MAGNIFY MODERN
DAY VIOLENCE
INTERNATIONALLY: A
CASE STUDY OF TURKEY

The Zoryan Institute
is pleased to
announce a very timely and important upcoming panel taking place Saturday,
April 17 12-3pm EST via
Zoom, with authors from the Institute’s latest publication, Collective and State
Violence in Turkey: The
Construction of a National Identity from Empire to
Nation-State.

Viewed through the
lens of
international politics, this panel will raise questions about
Turkey’s historic
influence on the European Powers and their acceptance of
Turkey’s domestic
gross violations of human rights and mass killings of groups
such as Alevis,
Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks, Jews, Kurds, and Yazidis.

This panel will also
demonstrate
how impunity for past crimes and political expediency by the
international
community has allowed Turkey to repeat these patterns of
violence dating all
the way back to the 1830s, including the Armenian Genocide of
1915, to Turkey’s
latest involvement in the Artsakh war against Armenians.

We invite you to
register for this
panel here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fVbjT5EfTXq8FYB8cDUR6A

By registering for
this panel, you
will automatically be sent a 15% discount code to purchase a
copy of the Zoryan Institute publication, Collective and State
Violence in Turkey.

The Zoryan
Institute is
a non-profit organization that serves the cause of scholarship
and public
awareness relating to issues of universal human rights,
genocide, and
diaspora-homeland relations. This is done through the
systematic continued
efforts of scholars and specialists using a comparative and
multidisciplinary
approach and in accordance with the highest academic
standards. 

-- 
Megan Reid
Operations Coordinator
The Zoryan Institute
A Division of the Zoryan Institute
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807  
E-mail:

Toronto Armenian community ‘very excited’ over $4.2 million youth centre expansion

Kanayan Tamar
Toronto.com
April 8 2021
News Apr 08, 2021   by Andrew Palamarchuk   North York Mirror

Harout Kassabian, Armenian Community Centre media coordinator, left, Sevan Hajiartinian, of Homenetmen Toronto, and Sevag Khoshian, Armenian Community Centre president, stand in the parking lot where a new 15,479 square foot expansion of the existing Armenian Youth Centre will take place. – Dan Pearce/Metroland

Users of the Armenian Community Centre’s youth centre are applauding a $4.2-million project to expand and renovate the North York recreational facility.

“We’re very excited because (more) space is always something that we’re looking for as our community grows,” said Sevan Hajiartinian, an executive committee member of Homenetmen Toronto, which runs scouting and athletics programs for Armenian youth at the Armenian Youth Centre (AYC). The facility is “the second home for our youth,” Hajiartinian added.

The AYC, at 50 Hallcrown Pl. near Victoria Park and Sheppard avenues, was built in 2004 and features meeting, conference, theatrical, dance and athletics space.

Construction to expand the facility is expected to begin this summer and be completed in the fall of 2023.

Sevan Hajiartinian is a member of the executive committee of Homenetmen Toronto. Dan Pearce/Metroland

Homenetmen Toronto runs about 10 programs out of the facility for more than 500 youth.

“The sports programs are basketball, volleyball, soccer, floor hockey and chess,” said Hajiartinian, stressing the organization is “running out of space” as “more youth join the programs.”

Scarborough resident Haig Artounian, 18, who has been participating in scouting and sports programs at the AYC since he was five, said the facility is a gathering place for members of the Armenian community to have fun, socialize and stay healthy. The first-year university student said the centre is also a place where he could speak Armenian and practice his culture.

It helps me not forget my roots,” Artounian said, noting he’s “very excited” for the expansion.

The construction project involves a 15,479-square-foot expansion of the AYC and will include six multi-purpose rooms, a music room, a common room and a robotics lab.

“This way, we have everything under one umbrella,” Hajiartinian said.

The project also includes improvements to the AYC such as an expanded gathering lounge, a larger entrance to the facility, new accessible universal washrooms and renovations of the gymnasium floor and HVAC system.

“All of this is going to benefit the youth greatly,” said Hajiartinian.

An architectural rendering of the proposed expansion to the Armenian Youth Centre. Armenian Community Centre image

The project is mostly government funded. The federal government is providing $1.7 million through the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada plan while the province is contributing more than $1.4 million. The Armenian Community Centre (ACC), meanwhile, will spend more than $1.1 million.

“Our needs for different types of facilities have increased, from all angles, from a cultural perspective, from a youth perspective,” ACC president Sevag Khoshian said in a recent interview. “We are really excited and thankful to both governments and also thankful to our community (for) being ready to support (the project) as well.”

The ACC, established in 1968, is a charity that operates out of two centres: the Armenian Community Centre facility at 45 Hallcrown and the adjacent Armenian Youth Centre.

ACC media co-ordinator Harout Kassabian said the two facilities serve more than 50,000 people annually. “With the expansion we look forward to serving 15,000 additional Ontarians per year through 1,600 new community meetings, athletics, social, and cultural programs per year,” he said in an email.

Toronto Armenian community 'very excited' over $4.2 million youth centre expansion | Toronto.com

Khoshian, a Scarborough resident who moved to Canada in 2000, said the two buildings are a hub for Toronto’s Armenian community, noting many community members, including he, live near Victoria Park and Sheppard.

The AYC, he said, gives Armenian youth a sense of belonging. “It’s a building where they feel at home in every sense.”

Kassabian noted about 10 organizations currently use the AYC.

Scarborough-Agincourt MPP Aris Babikian, who’s the first Armenian-Canadian member of the provincial legislature, said in a statement that the project will help “Armenian-Canadian youth fulfil their potential and contribute to the well-being of our society and province.”

Khoshian said his group has formed a construction committee that’s looking into how to minimize program disruptions during the construction period. Currently there are no activities at the AYC due to government pandemic restrictions.

Hajiartinian said the shutdown has been difficult on the community. “We’re hoping as things return to normalcy again, we’re going to be able to go there,” she said. “It’s a very important part of our life, our weekends, our evenings, so it’s a huge part of our community.”

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: When reporter Andrew Palamarchuk learned about plans to expand and renovate the Armenian Youth Centre, he wanted to hear what impact this would have on community members who use the facility.

Andrew Palamarchuk is a reporter with Metroland Media Toronto and toronto.com. He has been covering the crime beat since 2002 and has a passion for giving a voice to those affected by tragedy and looking at societal issues that may have contributed to it.



Armenia parliament vice speaker: Opposition today is richer, more competitive than ruling team

Kanayan Tamar
News.am, Armenia
16:13, 31.03.2021

YEREVAN. – You know how the official position is expressed and by whom. Alen Simonyan, the National Assembly (NA) vice speaker and member of the My Step ruling bloc of Armenia, on Wednesday told this to reporters in the NA, referring to the controversial statement by My Step MP Hovik Aghazaryan that, "Is there a bold person in Armenia who can tell the world that Kelbajar [in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] was ours?"

Simonyan added that he considers the whole region, which is called "Armenian World," as his homeland.

To the question why during PM Nikol Pashinyan's recent visit to Armavir Province the residents were promised to asphalted roads—that is, something for which they used to criticize the previous authorities—, the NA vice speaker said: "Because those we were criticizing never did that asphalt; they were doing it only before the elections. The current authorities have done more asphalt in the last two years than the previous authorities—in five to ten years.

As for the visit, it was a regular visit, the prime minister has always been in contact with the citizens. Many were accusing the prime minister of traveling around Armenia with a police barricade, and when the prime minister goes, meets with the people, we find another alternative to manipulate. I am happy with one thing: I have visited two provinces with the prime minister, and those people understand everything very well and give their assessment; this is not the government that makes asphalt only before an election."

In response to the remark that the aforesaid creates an unlevel playing field between the political forces, Alen Simonyan noted that today the incumbent Armenian authorities were in the most unlevel playing field. "The [Armenian] government does not have the financial resources and their opportunities that the opposition has today. Today, the opposition is several times richer and more competitive in terms of its strength, its resources than the current government team," he said.

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan trial: Court refuses to discontinue prosecution under Criminal Code Article 300.1

Kanayan Tamar
News.am, Armenia
14:00, 30.03.2021

YEREVAN. – Presiding Judge Anna Danibekyan of the Yerevan general jurisdiction court trial of the criminal case against Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan, former CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov, former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, and former Deputy PM Armen Gevorgyan on Tuesday refused to terminate the criminal prosecution under Article 300.1 of the Criminal Code, despite the Constitutional Court decision on this article.

The court adjourned, and the next hearing was set for April 12.

The reason for rescheduling today’s hearing was the prosecution’s absence from the courtroom.

As reported earlier, this was the first court session after the Constitutional Court declared Article 300.1 (overthrow of the constitutional order) of the Criminal Code in conflict with Articles 78 (principle of proportionality) and 79 (principle of certainty) of the Constitution, and therefore invalidated it on March 26. It is not clear what kind of “overthrow” is in question, given that the aforesaid article was adopted under one constitution, and they had tried to amend it under another constitution.

The defendants are charged under this article of the Criminal Code.

In fact, the court shall terminate these defendants’ criminal prosecution under the said article, as well as of others who are charged with similar charges in this criminal case.

Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy calls for protection of Christian monuments in Nagorno-Karabakh

Kanayan Tamar
Panorama, Armenia
March 23 2021

The Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (I.A.O.) Maximos Charakopoulos, authorized by the I.A.O. International Secretariat,  made a statement on the protection of Christian Monuments in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy has repeatedly declared the need to safeguard the monuments of world civilization, in the face of decisions and actions that threaten them with destruction or alteration of their character," the statement made during the Assembly's virtual meeting on Wednesday said. It is noted that appropriate respect for every religious monument and sacred place of worship contributes to mutual understanding and mutual respect between religious communities, and ultimately contributes to peaceful coexistence.

It notes that some monuments are completely destroyed in order not to witness the centuries-old presence of other peoples, religions and cultures in these lands. "Such incidents have been recorded in many cases in Kosovo and Metohija, in the occupied parts of the territories of Syria and Iraq and the Turkish-occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus.

Based on the aforementioned, being representatives of the parliaments of many countries, we deem it necessary every time to express our categorical disagreement to such practices and to call on international organizations and governments to not allow them to take place," said the document. 

The Assembly particularly points to the situation that has developed in the aftermath of the bloody war in Nagorno Karabakh. 

"The Tripartite Declaration, signed on November 9, 2020, resulted in extensive territories with cultural treasures of great religious, historical and artistic value for the ecumenical culture, the Armenian people and the Apostolic Christian Church, now under the administration of Azerbaijan. We believe that these monuments need immediate registration and protection from the international community and the competent international bodies," the Assembly said, adding: "We therefore, call on the UN and UNESCO to contribute to the protection of the cultural wealth and monuments of the Armenian people, now under the administration of Azerbaijan and not to allow changes in their use or destruction. Any dereliction of duty or lack of interest can cause irreparable damage to monuments belonging to all mankind,” the statement read in part. 

Russian Ambassador hopes upcoming elections in Armenia will contribute to public unity

Kanayan Tamar

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 16:15,

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS. The upcoming snap parliamentary elections in Armenia are the country’s internal affairs. Of course, Russia is following very closely the ongoing developments in the country, Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin told reporters today.

“We hope all these processes will contribute to the public’s unity and the solution of the problems facing the society”, the Ambassador said.

As for the communication with the political forces in Armenia, he said these talks have not ended and will continue. “We do not hide them, there are reports about that in the media. Of course, there is no reason for me to refuse from this practice. This is one of the functions of an ambassador, a diplomat to be in touch with the country’s public and political representatives”, he said.

Armenia will hold early parliamentary elections on June 20.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan

Artsakh ombudsman calls for proper probe into incident on Karmir Shuka-Stepanakert road

Kanayan Tamar
Panorama, Armenia

Artsakh Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) Gegham Stepanyan studied the information spread in the media on March 25, that the cars of Armenians were stoned by Azerbaijanis on the Karmir Shuka-Stepanakert road.

The ombudsman condemns the violations of the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, and the manifestation of violence of any form, regardless of the perpetrator.

"In order to find out the circumstances of the incident, a proper investigation should be carried out by the law enforcement agencies, which should be a priority to exclude such cases, and guarantee the right of the already stressed population living near the contact area to be informed,” Stepanyan said in a statement on Friday.

“In this regard, the human rights defender positively assesses the rapid response of the Prosecutor General’s Office and the police to the publication of mass media and their readiness to take a comprehensive examination,” the statement added.

New amendments threaten to stifle media freedom and freedom of expression in Armenia – Freedom House

Kanayan Tamar
Panorama, Armenia

New amendments threaten to stifle media freedom and freedom of _expression_ in Armenia, Freedom House, a U.S.-based non-governmental democracy watchdog, has warned.

In response to the Armenian parliament’s approval of amendments that threaten to curtail media freedom and freedom of _expression_ by significantly increasing fines for defamation and insult, Freedom House issued the following statement:

“It is the responsibility of the Armenian authorities to protect media freedom and free _expression_ in the country,” said Marc Behrendt, director for Europe and Eurasia programs at Freedom House. “It is unfortunate that the Armenian government is supporting fines that will stifle free _expression_ and threaten the financial viability of media outlets in the country. Civil society has rightly criticized the bill on grounds that it could be abused to levy excessive fines and apply political pressure against independent media organizations for criticizing politicians and other powerful public figures. We urge the Armenian authorities to take the concerns of civil society and media organizations seriously, and strike down this legislation.”

On March 24, the National Assembly of Armenia adopted the legislative draft “On Making Amendments to the RA Civil Legislation,” tripling the maximum penalties for insult and defamation to 3 and 6 million Armenian drams (approximately $5,700 and $11,400), respectively. The bill was adopted without taking into account the views of the Ministry of Justice or the Human Rights Defender’s Office, nor of the civil society and media organizations that expressed serious concerns about it. The Union of Journalists of Armenia has appealed to Armenia’s president not to sign the law, and to send it to the Constitutional Court for review.

IFC: Women entrepreneurs face greater challenges in Armenia

Kanayan Tamar
Banks.am, Armenia
25.03.2021 | 17:29 Home / News /

This is the conclusion of the report on women in business, conducted by a member of the World Bank Group IFC as part of a program implemented in partnership with the UK’s Good Governance Fund. The study aimed to identify barriers that women-owned firms face, while also providing recommendations on how to address them.


The report says that women’s lagging participation in employment and entrepreneurship represents a misallocation of Armenia’s human resource potential, resulting in an estimated loss of economic output that is equivalent to 14 percent of GDP (gross domestic product).

It also reads that women entrepreneurs take more loans and tend to use funds from commercial banks (22 percent compared to 12 percent of men entrepreneurs).

“However, collateral—required for bank loans—is a greater challenge for women because of inheritance practices favoring men. Also, with land ownership granted to males the default head of household, the land privatization of the 1990s has put women entrepreneurs at a disadvantage,” the IFC report states.

The study has also concluded that improved access to finance, adequate business training, and timely support could help women seize more opportunities and become equal participants in the Armenian economy.

The majority of surveyed women (almost 73 percent) mentioned that there was a lack of an educated workforce in their field. Nearly all women entrepreneurs acknowledged gaps in business knowledge and skillsets needed to properly conduct entrepreneurial activities.

 “This project aims to help the Armenian Government in its work to improve the environment for business and encourage investment to stimulate economic growth, with a special focus on fostering female entrepreneurship. We are hopeful that this study will improve awareness of constraints for women-owned businesses and will contribute to women’s economic empowerment in Armenia,” said British Chargé d'Affaires in Armenia Victor Clark.

IFC’s Acting Regional Manager for the South Caucasus Jesper Kjaer has noted that the IFC study reveals the gaps and deterrents that prevent women entrepreneurs in Armenia from unlocking their full potential.

“The aim is to help the public and private sectors, along with international development partners, design and implement more evidence-based policies and programs. We have already coached a cohort of trainers, who can help address some of the common challenges to support women entrepreneurs, thereby helping drive inclusive economic growth in Armenia,” he added.

The study reveals that given the lack of childcare support and school shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, women entrepreneurs face additional challenges compared to men.

Therefore, the report says, women-owned businesses need additional support to retain staff, change operating business models, and have improved access to bank loans and state support programs.